SUFFOLK-born Laura Kerr, of the prominent farming family, spoke last night about the honour of carrying the Olympic torch in Dorset, where she now lives and works.

Laura, who is the daughter of Suffolk farmer and ex-Ipswich Town chairman John Kerr and his wife Jill, now runs a project in the west country helping adults with learning disabilities.

She told the EADT: “Just before we set off, I was asked to run an additional stretch, so now I was due to take the torch through the whole of Bridport’s main street! Despite pouring rain, the atmosphere was fantastic and the town was lined thick with crowds cheering and waving. I felt incredibly proud, and a little overwhelmed, not only to be carrying the torch through a town I know and love, but also where I sometimes work. Local people were saying Bridport hadn’t seen so many people since the Coronation!

“Another wonderful highlight was all my family coming down from Suffolk for the occasion. On spotting dad in the crowd, I couldn’t resist running over to give him a kiss!

“I was amazed to be nominated for my work at the Friendship Club for People First Dorset. Having moved to Dorset four years ago, I set up a small project supporting adults with learning disabilities to make friends and socialise safely in their local community. Being a user-led club, the idea is to arrange realistic events members want to do, which is generally doing things which most of us take for granted. Things like going to the pub, ten pin bowling, nightclubbing etc. I was also lucky to secure �287,000 from the Big Lottery, with which we’ve been able expand the club. To date over 700 adults with learning disabilities have attended events county wide.’’